Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday said that rehabilitation centres for drug de-addiction in 22 districts of the State will be made operational within three months.
Chief Minister asked the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to complete and hand over the fully furnished buildings of these centres, as per the approved site plan, to the Health department within three months.Badal, while presiding over a meeting with senior officers of the State, also approved the sites of three acres each for the construction of these centres across the State.
The sites were identified jointly by the inspection team comprising senior officers of the Health department and NBCC under the guidance of concerned Deputy Commissioners.With these centres, the State Government is planning to end the drug menace from the State and also ensure rehabilitation of drug-addicts, an official spokesperson said.The Chief Minister asked the Principal Secretary Health to device modalities for the recruitment of doctors for the new rehabilitation centres besides deputing them in the prisons to treat the drug-addicts.
In the meantime, till the process of regular appointment of these doctors was completed, Badal directed the Principal Secretary Health to spare 44 doctors from the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) cadre for postings in these Rehabilitation Centers. Two doctors each will be posted in the 22 districts.Badal also gave nod for recruitment of paramedical staff including male nurses or pharmacists, ward attendants besides social workers and security personnel to be drawn from Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corporation (PESCO).
He asked the Chief Secretary to work out a plan in consultation with the Secretary Technical and Industrial Training department for imparting skill training or short term courses in different vocations to the drug-addicts after their treatment in the upcoming Rehabilitation Centres.The Chief Minister also asked the Principal Secretary Higher Education to consult the Vice-Chancellors of the State Universities and chalk out a time-bound plan to bring awareness among the students to effectively fight out the scourge of drug-addiction.
He also asked the Principal Secretary School Education to prepare an action plan for students in the Higher and Senior Secondary schools for educating them about the ill-effects of drugs on their health.He directed the departments of School and Higher Education to regularly organised seminars, talks, discussions in the Educational Institutions besides showing documentary films to the students on the harmful effects of drug-addiction and taking preventive measures.
While reviewing the status of inmates lodged in different jails of the state due to drug abuse and its peddling, the Chief Minister also asked the jail authorities to keep a strict vigil besides providing them the best medical treatment.He also asked the Principal Secretary Jails to take stock of the situation after visiting the jails for the quick rectification of shortcomings if any besides initiating corrective and reformative measures for the rehabilitation of the drug-addicts to enable them to lead a normal life with dignity.
The Chief Minister has also asked the Health department to depute adequate medical staff, including doctors, psychiatrists and paramedics on priority in the jails for providing the best possible treatment to them.
